A Story of a Journey in Implementing an E-Assessment System at a South African University

Following the challenges faced in the selection and implementation of e-assessment tools for student assessment, I undertook a journey of implementing an e-assessment system within the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). This article describes the path traversed and highlights the potholes and expressways on this road towards e-assessment implementation. Thus, the aim of this article is to present the journey, faced by an academic, in the process of implementing an e-assessment system. This study adopted a narrative inquiry approach. The findings indicate both student and academic acceptance of this form of e-assessment, with students showing particular excitement in this novel assessment mode. This journey serves to highlight the importance of determination, resilience and perseverance in applying a new form of technology within an academic context. Furthermore, support of senior management is also essential to its success. Essentially this article shows that the successful implementation of e-assessment at a university is possible but reliant on motivated academics and institutional buy in.